The invention relates to a method of paying for a communication service in a mobile communication system comprising at least one mobile communication appliance comprising a secure module for securely storing data. The invention further relates to a mobile communication system comprising at least one mobile communication appliance comprising a secure module for securely storing data. The invention also relates to a mobile communication appliance comprising a secure module for securely storing data. The invention also relates to a secure module for securely storing data.
Increasingly low-cost personal appliances, such as mobile telephones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and pagers are used for mobile communication. Typically, a user has to pay for the mobile communication service to a service provider based on a subscription fee, complemented by a fee on a per usage basis. The service provider registers the actual usage of the service by the user and charges the user accordingly. Typically a mobile telephone, such as a GSM telephone, comprises a secure module in which an identification is securely stored. The identification is used by the service provider to charge telephone conversations to the user, which is registered as the owner/user of the secure module with the identification. The secure module is typically implemented using smart-card technology.
Particularly for users which do not foresee to frequently use a mobile communication service, the subscription fee may be inhibitive. Furthermore, the need for subscribing to the service excludes certain categories of users from using the service. As an example, a traveller may not stay sufficiently long in an area covered by a service provider to subscribe to the service and be accepted. Some users may be excluded, since they are not considered sufficiently credit-worthy to be accepted for a subscription.